


For Love or Money

by Shi_Toyu



Series: Painsgiving - November 2018 [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Betrayal, Established Relationship, Feels, Hurt Steve Rogers, Infinity Gems, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Painsgiving, Protective Tony Stark, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, The Avengers Lose, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-10-14 12:30:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17508674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shi_Toyu/pseuds/Shi_Toyu
Summary: When Tony is forced to make a difficult decision, Steve struggles to understand.





	For Love or Money

**Author's Note:**

> For Day One of my November Painsgiving event on Tumblr: "I only did it because I love you."

“I’m sorry,” Tony said, as he pressed a hand to the transparent wall between them. “There was no other way.”

Steve stared at him, eyes wide. This couldn’t be happening. It  _couldn’t_.

“Tony,” he breathed out, nearly begging with just the name.

It didn’t feel real, not the way Tony’s smile was sad but resigned, not the way he gave a little sigh before shaking his head and drawing his hand away.

“I don’t expect you to understand,” he said instead, eyes never wavering from Steve’s face, as if he were trying to memorize it. As if this was going to be the last time he ever saw it. Steve could see the pain etched in every line of his face. “I knew what this decision would cost me.”

“No,” Steve tried again. “No, Tony,  _please_. Whatever happened to cutting the wire, huh?”

His voice was shaking, ruining the conviction he was aiming for.

“Sometimes you can’t,” Tony told him.

It felt like there was a vice wrapped around Steve’s heart, slowly squeezing tighter and tighter.

“Why? How could you do this?”

His voice trembled over the only question that mattered. Tony’s answering smile was heart breaking. Steve wanted to yell at him, to scream that he didn’t get to be upset.  _He_  was the one who had betrayed  _them._

“I only did it because I love you.”

Then Tony turned and walked away, retreating back to Thanos’s side. The Titan watched on silently, arms crossed over his chest and Infinity Gauntlet on full display. There was only one stone missing.

The glowing blue one in Tony’s chest.


End file.
